Douglas Carswell's Blog

A way forward on Lords reform?

The harder a certain kind of grandee attempts to defend the House of Lords we have at the moment, the more convinced I am of the case for change.

I just don't buy the argument that it is an effective revising chamber. It seems, more often, to embody the dreadful quango corporatist elite that have come so close to running this country into the ground.

But does that mean I ought to support the proposals for change that the government has come up with?

I fear the new "senate" would be even more representative of our failed oligarchy. It would be a chamber purring with vested interests, and no more representative of the people than the guest list at a Banqueting House dinner.

So here's the deal; I will back Lords reform, but with one proviso; the new arrangement is put to the people in a Yes / No referendum.

If those opposed to the status quo are daft enough to press ahead with something even worse - as they managed to over AV - they will lose. And if they want to come up with something that the people will support, they better start thinking sensibly pretty sharpish.

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